How to Buy Long Lasting and Eco-Friendly Candles

With so many candles out there to choose from, how do you know which candle is best for you? Learn which candles give you the most for your money and if you want to go natural, what your choices are and how to find them.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Awareness of the scents that you like
• Awareness of how sensitive you are
• Knowing where to buy

1. Take your time. Candle shopping takes some time. You want to find a scent that inspires and makes you feel good. Scents are very personal and something you will literally have to live with, so consider what fragrance you want to uplift your home. If you like calming scents you may like lavender, vanilla and rose. If you like fresh scents check out the fresh linen, flowery or ocean-inspired.

2. Know where to shop. Small gift shops often have more expensive, luxurious candles. So do department stores. You can find unique candles online. The most popular places to find candles are grocery and drug stores. You will find the major brands like Glade and Febreze here, which are aimed at eliminating odors.

3. Know how long your candle will last. These odor eliminating brands have some pleasant fragrances. I like Febreze's lavender candle and Glade's Angel Whispers. The Glade candles don't last too long, maybe 12 or 15 hours. Febreze candles can last up to 30 hours of burning time!

4. Know your options. Other options are the Glade scented oil candle. These do infuse the entire room with fragrance but don't last terribly long. Usually burn out in a night, about four or five hours after being lit.

5. Find a deal. Grocery stores likes Ralph's here in California have good deals on candles with your club card. They are usually on sale. Also look out for holiday sales when scents like pumpkin spice and pine are marked down considerably. I've also seen good sales on candles at Marshall's and Target.

6. Know what's in your candle. Regular candles often contain lead in the wicks that's released into the air when burned. Candles often have other chemicals, as well. If you want a more natural store bought brand, look for the ones that contain essential oils and say "natural."

7. If you want a truly healthy, eco-friendly candle here are your choices: soy, beeswax, palm wax and vegetable wax. I've found soy candles at Target and they're a favorite of my clients who always ask what smells so good in my healing studio - it's the soy candles!

8. Sometimes you will pay more for a natural candle, but not always so don't assume! Ive found super discounted soy candles at Target. There are always deals online, as well. If you're inventive, you can even try making your own!

Tips & Warnings

• To keep your home feeling warm, inviting and relaxing, burn candles nightly and turn off the lights. You will save electricity, too!
• Try turning off the lights in the bathroom and lighting a few candles for your bath.
• Use travel candle tins to bring a touch of home and elegance to hotel rooms.
• Keep a few candles on hand in case the electricity ever goes out.
• Candles make great gifts and are essential for creating romance in your home!
• Regular candles aren't the best for health or the environment.
• If you have animals or children, be mindful where you place your candles.
• Candles can stain some surfaces and blacken walls.
• Don't forget to ALWAYS blow out your candles and don't leave them unattended, where you can't see them.

Resources

• Elegant Soy Candles
• Organic Candles
• Fair Trade Vegetable Oil Candles
• It's a Soy Candle!
• Beeswax Candles
• Video for how to make your own soy candle
• Soy Candles at Target

[ecoearthcandles]

on 3/21/2009 I stumbled across your article and in it you refer to buying soy candles at Target. Please, we feel your readers should know that most of the soy candles that you find at the big retailers are not 100% soy wax and often blended with regular wax! In other words petroleum! Unless the label says 100% soy wax, you may be burning a candle that is toxic. Petroleum, after it is processed to make our gasoline and all the other products that comes from it leaves a substance they use for making wax. It is petroleum by product! Our research showed the government allows candle manufactures to have as little as 25% soy wax and it be allowed to be called a soy candle. This is misleading as far as we are concerned. If you want a truly earth friendly candle that is healthier for your family to burn, you need to look for 100% soy wax candles. There candles burn very well and smell wonderful! Check out w

[sneedc]

on 12/22/2008 I took a costly chance on soy, and it just doesn't burn AT ALL! I wasted $50 on non-burning candles. DERN! Back to Yankee Candle for me!

[TheGlamSquad]

on 12/21/2008 Thanks so much for sharing the tips! It is so hard finding candles that last so maybe this will assist me in my search. 5*****

[voliegurl]

on 12/20/2008 Sounds romantic and warm!